


Ever After...

by padfootagain



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Marauders, Marauders' Era, Romantic Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, blackinnon, jily
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-17 17:43:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16979055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/padfootagain/pseuds/padfootagain
Summary: Have you ever wondered what would have happened if Peter Pettigrew had not been a traitor? The Marauders would have had a chance for their own ‘they lived happily ever after’…





	1. Seeker

**Author's Note:**

> An AU! full of denial! What would have happened if everyone was living happily ever after?  
> It's just a collection of bits of their lives, they're not in chronological order. I hope you like it!

The sound of voices woke him up, tearing him away from slumber. Children laughing. Hurried footsteps hitting the wooden floor. A smile formed on his lips at the sounds, and his eyelids fluttered open. He stretched in his bed, before turning towards the woman who was sleeping next to him.

He brushed a strand of her golden hair away from her face, a dreamy smile forming slowly on his lips.

Even after all these years, he wondered how he had managed to be lucky enough to have her by his side.

His calloused fingers brushed against her cheek and she stirred in her sleep, the merry sound of loud waves of laughter reaching her ears and waking her up completely.

She rubbed her eyes, banishing sleep from them, and she smiled at the handsome man by her side.

“Morning Marls,” Sirius grinned, kissing her lips softly.

She snuggled closer to him.

“The kids are up,” she mumbled against the skin of his neck, her morning voice sending delicious shivers through his body.

It was crazy, the way she still affected him so much after years of relationship.

“They are,” Sirius nodded, listening to the laughs that rang through the house again. “And one thing is for sure, they are just as loud as you.”

“I’m not loud, Black.”

“You are though, Black.”

They exchanged a smile.

“I guess we should get up then,” Marlene proposed, but her husband shook his head, wrapping his strong arms around her to make sure that she would stay there, lying close to him in their bed.

“Let them play,” he said, “they’ll come look for us when they’re really hungry anyway.”

Marlene nodded, chuckling.

“You’re right,” she laughed. “They’ll come ask you for pancakes.”

“Or for your waffles.”

“What do you bet that they’ll ask for your pancakes?”

A playful smile appeared on his lips, while she traced the outlines of the lion that was tattooed on his shoulder. His hands travelled across her clothed back to rest on her hips, his fingers sliding under her worn-out T-shirt

“I may have an idea or two,” he said, brushing his lips against hers.

“Oh, do you now?”

He nodded, catching her lower lip between his, and she couldn’t help but close her eyes at the sensation, sighing faintly.

“You know what, let’s make a bet then,” she smirked, a devilish glint now alit in her eyes. “If they come up and ask for your pancakes, we’ll have sex tonight.”

“And if they ask for your waffles?”

“Then… We’ll have sex tonight.”

They both laughed, their kisses made messy by their laughter.

“I like that spirit of yours, Black,” Sirius laughed.

He loved calling her like this, and she knew it. Since the moment she had started to share his name, Sirius had slowly begun to like it. It didn’t remind him of his parents anymore. It reminded him of the life he had built step by step with the blond woman in his arms.

He wasn’t ashamed or bitter to be called Black anymore.

“I know you do,” Marlene laughed, kissing his chin.

“We can’t be late today though,” he said, checking the alarm clock on their bedside table. “It’s the big day for Harry today.”

Marlene rolled her eyes.

“James and Lily are exaggerating.”

Sirius raised an amused eyebrow.

“Don’t make me believe that if one of our kids is part of a Quidditch team one day, you won’t go hysterical and insist on going to Hogwarts to see the match.”

She opened her mouth to answer, but she couldn’t deny it. He was right. So she merely shrugged instead, making him laugh.

Suddenly, the footsteps became louder as the children were approaching from their parents’ bedroom, and Marlene winked at Sirius.

“Let’s see who wins then,” she said, her one challenging.

“We’ll both win anyway,” Sirius chuckled.

They both listened as the children were now trying to approach the room as silently as possible.

The door of their bedroom slowly opened, and a dark-haired girl appeared, peering discretely inside the room.

“You’re already up!” Sirius smiled.

The girl opened the door wide, and hurried to climb on her parents’ bed, quickly followed by her little brother.

“We were coming to wake you up,” she said, settling between her parents as Marlene and Sirius both made room for the two children.

“We’re hungry!” the little blond boy nodded, resting his head on Sirius’s chest.

“What would you like for breakfast?” Marlene asked, sending a mischievous glance at Sirius.

“PANCAKES!” the two children exclaimed.

The two adults laughed.

“Dad, please!” the girl pleaded. “Please, make us pancakes!”

“Yes, daddy, please…” her brother added, and the two children gave Sirius puppy eyes, trying to break his will.

Marlene rolled her eyes.

“You have the same puppy eyes as your dad,” she smiled.

“They learnt from the best,” Sirius laughed, winking mischievously at his children. “And of course I’ll make you pancakes, but only if I have a giant hug.”

The two children laughed, both of them wrapping their arms around his neck and kissing his cheeks covered by a short beard.

“I think it’s worth some pancakes,” he nodded, laughing as he sat up and kissed his two children on the head. “You want to prepare breakfast with me?”

“Can we put some blueberry in the pancakes?” the little boy asked.

“I’ll check if we have some. Come on, Arthur,” Sirius smiled as he waited next to the door for his son to follow him outside.

The little boy yawned, rubbing his eyes before hopping down the bed, and Sirius picked him up, carrying him down the stairs.

In the kitchen, his daughter had picked up his wand…

“Amira, put that down,” he said, his voice very serious all of a sudden.

“But dad, I’ll soon be eleven…”

“You haven’t received your letter yet, so put my wand down. Now, young girl.”

She mumbled something under her breath about being constantly considered as a young child, before putting down her father’s wand on the table again.

“Don’t give us that face,” Marlene warned her as she pouted and crossed her arms before her chest. “Your father is right.”

Sirius put down his son on the ground again.

“Now, now… come on, princess,” he smiled, clearly amused by his daughter. “Give me a smile.”

“No!”

He raised an eyebrow, tickling her arms, and she couldn’t help but laugh.

“Ha, here is my ray of sunshine. Here’s my little princess!” Sirius exclaimed, laughing as well.

He picked up his wand, summoning the ingredients he would need to prepare breakfast.

“Daddy?” the little boy asked almost shyly. “Are we going to Hogwarts with mummy and you today?”

“Of course, we’ll see Harry play!” Sirius nodded, mixing the ingredients.

“Do you think that I’ll play Quidditch too when I’m at Hogwarts?”

“Of course, if you want to.”

“I hope I’ll be sorted in Gryffindor, just like you.”

Sirius suddenly froze, and Marlene could see shining tears suddenly appearing in his eyes. He kissed the top of his son’s head again, his lips tickled by the boy’s golden hair.

“I’ll always be proud of you, no matter your house, okay Arthur?” Sirius whispered.

The boy nodded, stealing some blueberries from the bowl Sirius was still holding in his hand.

Marlene wrapped her arms around her husband from behind, dropping sweet kisses on his shoulder blade.

“You’re okay, Sirius?”

He nodded slowly, brushing the tears away from his eyes, his throat too tight for him to speak.

“I love you,” she whispered in his ear. “And our kids are amazing.”

He nodded again, smiling now. He sniffed.

“I feel lucky,” he admitted.

“Me too.”

He wrapped his arm around her, and captured her lips in a tender kiss.

Until Amira heaved a sigh.

“Come on! Stop playing the lovebirds over there! We’re starving here!”

Both Sirius and Marlene laughed, resuming the preparation of their breakfast.

And they both felt like they were living in heaven.

———————————————————-

“James Fleamont Potter, I swear by Merlin’s beard, if you don’t stop pacing, I’ll petrify you.”

James ran a hand through his dark hair, messing it even more than before.

“Lils…”

“They’re probably all on their way, relax,” the ginger woman smiled.

“I can’t believe our son is going to play his first match today,” James grinned, on a little cloud. “And he joined the team in his first year!”

“I know, love. I know.”

“DAAAAAAAD!”

Both Lily and James spun around to see their youngest daughter run to them. She was crying.

“What’s wrong, baby?” James asked softly, bending to pick her up in his arms.

“There’s a spider in my bedroom! And it’s HUGE!”

“Don’t worry, here I come!” James laughed, picking up his wand and walking to his daughter’s bedroom.

“Rose didn’t help me at all!” the little girl complained.

“Perhaps Rose is scared too.”

Indeed, another ginger girl was standing before the door of her sister’s bedroom.

“It’s huge, dad!” she exclaimed, pointing at the big dark spider that was walking across the room.

James put down his daughter on the ground, and with a mere flick of his wand, he got rid of the animal.

“Here, no spider. You can go back to your bedroom now, Poppy.”

While James was saving his two daughters from the spider that had invaded their bedroom, Remus was brushing the dust off of his worn-out coat and stepping out of the hearth in the Potters’ living room.

“How are you, Rem?” Lily asked, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

“Fine. Hope I’m not late.”

“James is going mad.”

“I thought he would. It’s normal Lils, you know how much Quidditch is important for him. After all, he’s a professional Chaser!”

“No need to remind me. Don’t forget that I watch all his match.”

They both laughed, James finally reappearing in the living room, and he grinned at the sight of his friend.

“Moony! Merlin, I was starting to think that you would all be late!”

But seconds later, Peter was stepping out of the chimney as well.

“How are you, Wormtail?” James smiled, giving his old friend a hug.

“Perfect! I brought everything we’ll need!” he said, showing proudly his bag full of Gryffindor flags, gold and red scarves and other items they could use to cheer and support Harry.

“Wonderful, thanks, Pete!” Lily smiled, taking the bag from him.

“And of course, Pads and Marls are late…” James sighed, crossing his arms before his chest.

“They’re not late yet. And they have kids to manage, remember.”

“You mean that they have their hormones to manage,” James mumbled, and Lily playfully swatted him on the shoulder, laughing.

But they didn’t have to wait for long for the rest of their friends to step out of the hearth as well.

“You’re late, Pads!” James complained, giving his brother a warm hug.

“Five minutes! And it’s not my fault, it’s Amira’s. She couldn’t find her scarf.”

Lily called for her daughters, and James helped her to get the girls ready.

“I want to say it. I can do it alone!” Amira insisted when they had to step into the hearth again.

“And what if you mess it up and end up on the other side of the coutry? How are we supposed to find you back?” Marlene shook her head.

“But one of you can come with me but I speak. So I won’t be alone even if I fuck it up.”

“Language!”

“She has a point though,” Sirius smiled.

Marlene heaved a sigh.

“She’s just as reckless and rebellious as you…”

“She’s also as stubborn and beautiful as you,” Sirius winked at his wife, making her laugh.

“Alright, you both go first then, and Arthur and I will follow close.”

Amira hurried to step into the hearth again, grabbing a handful of Floo Powder, and Sirius held her hand, laughing softly.

“Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,” the girl said clearly.

And a second later, she and her father found themselves in the Headmaster’s office, Dumbledore and McGonagall smiling at them.

Sirius and Dumbledore shook hands.

“Minnie!” Sirius exclaimed, hugging McGonagall, who could only chuckle in answer.

“It’s good to see you again too,” the teacher smiled, before turning to the girl by his side. “Hello, Amira. How are you?”

“I’m fine, Professor.”

“I reckon you should receive your letter this summer, right?”

The girl grinned, nodding frantically.

“She’s very excited about it,” Sirius smiled.

“I hope you won’t be as… mischievous as your father was at your age.”

“I’m afraid she is,” Marlene laughed, hugging the teacher as well.

“Oh, Merlin, have mercy…” McGonagall, sighed, making the couple laugh.

“Minnie!” James screamed, hurrying to McGonagall and giving her a warm kiss on the cheek.

“Oh… James,” she laughed.

But Remus and Peter had the same reaction, and the old teacher received quite a lot of hugs…

“Let’s go, the match will soon start. The children must already be at the Quidditch Pitch.”

“I heard that you are responsible for my son to be in the team,” James told McGonagall, smiling as they all walked out of the Headmaster’s office.

“He was breaking the rules, not very surprising for _your_ son,” she said, an amused glint alit in her eyes. “But he did an impressive pirouette on his broomstick.”

“Thank you for taking him in the team.”

“Well, he’s talented. Who knows… it must run in the family, right?”

They exchanged a smile, and walked through the school.

Sirius and Marlene were chatting with Remus and Peter, and it felt strange. Sirius felt like he was coming home. It was both sweet and bitter, a bit melancholic and yet warm and reassuring. He had spent lovely years here. He knew he owed this school and the people he had met there his life. He would have never survived and overcome his childhood without the friends he met in this Castle, without the woman with whom he walked now hand in hand.

The children were in awe. They had never been to Hogwarts before, and let’s be honest, they were impressed by the large halls, and cold stones and the grounds that seemed so large, as if they had no ends.

Arthur walked closer to his father as they walked before a strange statue of an old and twisted witch.

“You’re okay?” Sirius asked.

But Arthur took his father’s hand.

“It’s so big here,” he breathed.

“Well, it is. And you’re little as well, you’re just six!”

Poppy had the same scared expression on her face, and James picked up the five-year-old in his arms and kissed her cheek.

“It’s great here, you’ll see,” he reassured her.

She rested her head on his shoulder, her eyes still wide with a mix of wonder and fear, and James merely chuckled in answer.

The closer they were from the Quidditch Pitch, the more James and Lily were smiling. There was a proud and happy glint alit in their hazel and green eyes, and they were eager to see their son.

They insisted on seeing Harry before the match, and so they all walked through the passages hidden all around the Quidditch Pitch.

When he saw his son standing there, holding tightly his Nimbus 2000 in his little hands, his jet black hair a mess and his round glasses lopsided on his nose, all dressed in red and gold, James was so proud that he struggled not to cry.

Harry turned around at the sound of footsteps behind him, and a grin crossed his face at the sight of his family.

“Mum! Dad!” he cried, rushing towards them, and both Lily and James hugged him tightly. “You made it! You came!”

“Of course we came! How could we miss your first match?” Lily laughed.

James bent down to be face to face with Harry, and he stared at his son. He dived into these eyes he loved so much, the same as Harry’s mother…

“Are you nervous?” he asked.

Harry nodded, tightening his hold on his broomstick.

“It’s normal, I threw up before my first match,” James smiled reassuringly.

“You did?”

James nodded.

“Stay focused. There’s lots of noise out there, lots of people screaming, don’t take care of them. You just have to stay away from the bludgers, and look for the Snitch. Okay?”

Harry nodded.

“Just do your best. I’m proud of you,” James grinned, pulling his son against him again, before ruffling his already-messy hair.

“Now, go catch this bloody Snitch,” James smiled, letting go of Harry.

Lily held him against her as well.

“We’re so proud of you, I’m sure you’ll be great,” she said.

“Thanks, mum.”

He hugged his sisters as well, along with Remus, Peter and Marlene, before turning towards his godfather.

“Go on, buddy. You’ll be amazing,” Sirius winked. “And as long as you can remain on your broom more than ten minutes, you’ll do better than your dad on his first match.”

“Padfoot!” James protested, but Sirius merely laughed in response.

“Dad stayed only for ten minutes on his broom?” he asked.

“Yes, until he was hit by a bludger, he broke his arm and spent two weeks in the Hospital Wing,” Remus nodded.

Harry couldn’t help but laugh.

“So go on, show your dad what it means to do a good first match, okay?” Sirius smiled, giving Harry a high-five.

Harry nodded, smiling by now, and he walked back towards the team, as Oliver Wood was calling for him.

“We should hurry, or we’ll miss the beginning of the match,” Peter said, turning around.

James sniffed, taking off his glasses and wiping the tears away from his hazel eyes.

“Our son is great,” he whispered as Lily took his hand in his.

“He is,” she nodded. “Just like you.”

But James shook his head, cupping tenderly his wife’s cheek.

“Just like _you._ ”

They kissed, before joining their friends as they walked away from the Quidditch team to take their seat.

—————————————————————

“Dad, can I have a flag too?”

“Of course, here you go, Rosie,” James smiled, taking a Gryffindor flag from Peter’s bag and giving it to his daughter.

“Mum, when is it suppose to start?”

“Soon, Poppy,” Lily shrugged, finishing to attach her daughter’s red hair in a long braid.

“Dad, I can’t see anything…”

Sirius picked up his son and held him in his arms.

“Better?”

The boy nodded, resting his head against his father’s shoulder.

“You’re not going to fall asleep, right?” Sirius smiled.

But Arthur shook his head, his grey eyes meeting his father’s.

“I want to encourage Harry,” he said.

“You want a little flag?”

The boy nodded, and Marlene gave him a Gryffindor flag.

Sirius looked at his daughter who was wrapping her golden and red scarf around her neck.

“You’re okay, princess? Can you see everything?” he asked softly.

But Amira nodded, smiling excitedly.

“It feels just like watching one of uncle James’ match!” she grinned. “When I’m at Hogwarts, I’ll try to enter the Quidditch team as well.”

Sirius grinned.

“What position would you apply for?” he asked.

“Beater. Just like you, dad.”

For the second time that day, Sirius felt like he was about to cry, his heart so full of love and happiness he was certain it was going to either melt or explode.

His children looking up at him as an example was always making him feel this way. Like he had been good enough for them. He had always been so afraid to be a bad father, to make his children sad, just like he used to be as a kid. But this kind of comments from his children was the proof that he had been good enough for them. And it meant the world to him…

He bent down to drop a kiss on his daughter’s head.

“I guess we should practice more then,” he said, “so you can be ready when you come to Hogwarts.”

She nodded enthusiastically.

But then it was time to begin the match, and Lee Jordan introduced the two teams.

When Harry flew up in position, all he could hear was his family cheering up for him.

“GO ON HARRY!”

“KICK THEIR ASS!”

“JAMES!”

“SORRY… GO HARRY!”

Soon they were cheering in unison, and shouting his name in rhythm, and Harry was not nervous at all anymore.

Every time a bludger was flying a bit too close to Harry or a player was pushing him, Lily was holding on James’s arm as if her life depended on it. And every time James was focused and silent, waiting for the storm of fear that messed up with his stomach to pass.

But then Harry spotted the Snitch, and he dived towards the golden ball.

“Did he see it?” Remus asked, bending over the banister to get a better view.

“I think so,” Peter nodded excitedly.

“Yeah! There! Look!” Marlene exclaimed, pointing at the Snitch.

Soon it was a chase throughout the pitch between the two Seekers, and Lily was shouting so loudly, her throat was painful.

“GO HARRY!”

“HARRY YOU CAN DO IT!”

They were soon chanting his name in unison again.

And Harry was so close to the Snitch, but he couldn’t catch it. The other Seeker was out, lying on the ground, but Harry, couldn’t… his fingers were just inches away.

Until he hurried further on and a few seconds later he was landing in a hurry, looking as if he was about to be sick, his hands resting on his mouth. No one had seen what had happened, but he didn’t seem well…

“HARRY!” Lily screamed, horrified.

James’s eyes were wide, and he held on Lily just as tightly as she held on him. But he stopped her as she made a movement to run to her son. Harry was standing up again, and he looked like he was about to throw up…

But then he spit out the golden snitch, catching it in hands.

And everyone cheered, but the ones who cheered the loudest were Harry’s family, and above the deafening shouts, he was certain that he could hear their voices screaming and their hands clapping. Seconds later, the rest of his team was carrying him above the ground, cheering. But soon he saw his father and mother running throughout the pitch, and he forced the players to put him down, before rushing to his parents.

“I did it! I caught it!”

James caught his son in his arms, sweeping him off of his feet.

“I knew you would!” he laughed, kissing his son and holding the boy close to him.

“Mum, did you see this! I caught the Snitch!”

“Of course I saw it, sweetheart. You scared me actually. Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m fine, mum.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah, I’m great!”

“Congrats, buddy,” Sirius grinned, ruffling Harry’s hair. “You sure did better than our dear Prongs here.”

They all laughed.

“Come on, let’s celebrate!” James exclaimed. “Wormtail, get the butterbeers and the firewhiskey!”

“James, they are kids, they can’t drink alcohol,” Lily protested.

He finally put down Harry on the ground again.

“Well, Lils, don’t act like you never got drunk on one of our parties,” he smiled. “After all, you kissed me for the first time because of it.”

“No need to remind me,” she laughed, blushing.

James laughed, turning towards the students around him.

“Come on, kids! To the Common Room! The drinks are on me!”

The students cheered, and they all started to walk to the Castle.

Marlene kissed Sirius’s cheek.

“What was that for, Black?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She shrugged.

“Ready for a party in the Common Room then?” she winked mischievously.

“I’m always ready for this kind of things, and you know it,” he laughed.

“But we can’t leave the party too late tonight,” she said.

“Really? Why not? Getting tired grandma?”

But she shook her head, her voice husky now.

“We made a bet this morning, remember?”

Sirius’s heart skipped a beat, and a crooked smirk formed on his lips.

“Of course then… you do have a good argument, here, Black.”

“I think so too, Black.”

“Let’s stay here for a couple of beers, and then head back home, eat a pizza and put the children to bed…”

“Yeah, and then… I want us under the covers too.”

They exchanged a smile, and he took her hand, kissing her temple.

“I love you, Black,” he said softly.

She smiled, looking up at him with tender eyes.

“I love you too, Black.”


	2. Names

Sirius was running faster than he had ever run. His heart was crashing against his ribcage at every frenetic beat. His legs were sore, his lungs burning, desperate for air. His eyes were clouded with tears he couldn’t control and the world was just a vague cloud, a blur mess around him. He didn’t care though. He didn’t care about his aching muscles, his ragged breath, his rushing heart… he was too terrified for that.

All he could think about was this need he had to run. To run as fast as he could in a desperate attempt to be faster than Death itself…

He couldn’t remember being so scared of anything in his entire life. He had to arrive on time. He would never forgive himself if he arrived too late, he knew he would never be able to survive this…

His eyes drifted up towards the heavens to be met with the empty stare of a green skull floating in the air, a distorted snake sliding out of its mouth.

And Sirius knew that the dark mark had been placed above his own home.

He was at a meeting for the Order, when Dumbledore had walked into the room in a hurry. And Sirius knew what he was about to say before the old Wizard would speak, it was easy to read the words in his electric blue eyes.

The building he lived in had been attacked by Death Eaters. The whole building was burning.

He wouldn’t have cared about the few things he had in his flat, he wouldn’t even have cared about his bike. But Marlene was supposed to go straight home after work. Sirius had insisted. Every day was darker than the previous one and it was more and more dangerous to walk out of home, in particular to go to meeting for the Order.

And it was his fault if she hadn’t come with him to the meeting, his fault if she had headed straight to their flat, his fault if she was there when the Death Eaters had come.

He finally reached the right street. He didn’t slow down at the sight of the building wrapped in flames and blazes, the fire dancing through the night. He didn’t slow down as he reached the crowd assembled at a safe distance from the brazier. He didn’t slow down at the sight of the Wizards and Witches who were trying to stop the fire from spreading to the neighbouring houses.

He didn’t slow down, he shouted instead.

“MARLENE!”

He pushed people aside to get closer to the fire and hurried through the crowd that watched him with eyes full of pity.

“MARLENE!”

He kept on running towards the flames, the heat of the furnace now warming his skin, burning the air around him and making his lungs even more painful. The toxic vapours were making his throat dry and painful already.

“MARLENE!”

He had reached the inner ring of people, the ones who were fighting against the fire, when he was stopped by a strong man wrapping his arms around Sirius and stopping the young man in his crazy race.

“NO! NO! LET ME GO!”

“Sirius! SIRIUS!” Moody shouted, stopping the young man. “You can’t go inside!”

“She’s in there! MOODY, SHE’S IN THERE!”

Sirius was fighting as hard as he could against the Auror.

He had to get inside this building. He had to save her. He had to fight for her…

“LET ME GO!” he shouted, fighting against Moody’s strong hold.

“Boy, it’s useless!”

“MARLENE!”

“Sirius, stop! STOP!”

“MARLENE!”

“Sirius, listen to me!”

Moody managed to turn Sirius around so that he would face him, and he stared into the young man’s grey eyes, watching the tears run down his face.

“If she was in there, she’s dead.”

“NO!”

“Sirius, no one can survive this…”

“NO! NO, YOU’RE WRONG!”

Sirius fought even more frantically, and almost managed to escape from the Auror’s grasp, but he wasn’t strong enough, he couldn’t… just like he couldn’t believe that Marlene was…

“MOODY! LET ME GO! I NEED TO SAVE HER!”

“STOP SHOUTING! Listen to me, son. She’s gone. If she was in there she’s gone. I’m sorry, Sirius.”

“NO!”

Sirius turned towards the flames again, the fumes hurting his lungs, drying his throat, stinging his eyes, the heat burning his skin, but nothing, absolutely nothing was as painful as the idea of losing her…

He was ready to run straight into the flames, he was ready to get burnt, he was ready to die in there if it meant saving her. And if Moody was right and she was dead, then he was more than happy to join her, it was fine by him. He would rather have died with her in there than live without her anyway.

But Moody’s hold was so strong, and he was so tired, and the idea that she was gone was more and more tangible…

“MARLENE!”

His fight against Moody slowly faded, and the Auror wrapped his arms around the young man - the boy - in a more reassuring way. Sirius’s head fell down as he closed his eyes, sobbing hard by now.

“I’m sorry, Sirius,” he repeated.

“No…”

He was sobbing, and shaking, and trembling… A second later, his knees were too weak to carry his weight, and Moody found himself carrying him.

“I’m sorry, Sirius,” the Auror breathed one more time.

“No… no, no, no…”

“I’m sorry.”

“NO!”

Sirius looked up at the flames again, the red and orange and gold mingling and dancing, dazzling against the darkness of the night. He grabbed Moody’s long dark coat, his hand turning into a fist, as he summoned his last strengths to shout one last time…

“MARLENE!”

“SIRIUS!”

The sound of her voice had him frozen on the spot. He was certain it was just a trick played by grief on his mind…

“SIRIUS!”

This time it felt like being stroke by lightning. He looked up at Moody, but the Auror had already set his gaze behind him, on the silhouette that was running towards the flames. Even his magical eye was fixed on the woman running towards them.

Sirius finally turned around and…

She was running towards him with the same desperate glance in her eyes as the one he was wearing during his race against Death. Her long golden air was flying around her and reflecting the red light of the flames like corn under a bleeding sunrise.

And she was alive…

Sirius couldn’t believe it. But she didn’t look like a ghost…

He got back on his feet again, standing up, letting go of Moody, who didn’t try to stop him this time. And without him even noticing, Sirius was running towards her again…

He caught her as she jumped in his arms, sweeping her off of her feet, and the violent shock of their body colliding together while they were running at full speed stole all the air from his lungs but he didn’t care.

He didn’t care because he could feel her. He was holding her. He could feel her warmth oozing from her skin to run through his body. He could feel her body shaking in his arms. He could smell her scent of jasmine and sugar he loved so much. He could feel her tears mingling with his on their joined cheeks.

She was tangible. She was real. She was alive…

“Marlene?” he whispered, his voice hoarse and shaky. “Marlene, are you okay? Are you hurt?”

But she shook her head.

“I wasn’t home,” she answered, her tone matching his. “I was gone to buy a few things for dinner. I bought firewhiskey. I lost the bottle though…”

He laughed. It was both genuine and nervous, and she soon joined him.

“Are you hurt?” she asked him, but he shook his head as well.

He pulled away slightly, just enough to be able to dive into her eyes, and he crushed their lips together, kissing her more desperately than he ever had…

Behind them, the fire was still roaring and raging, and people were hurrying in all directions, and sending charms, and shouting orders, and trying to fight against the fire…

… but Sirius and Marlene were still kissing.

———————————————————————–

They had found shelter at Godric’s Hollow. Lily and James hadn’t hesitated for a second. James had joined them minutes after their reunion, and he had brought them back to his home. Lily had prepared a warm meal for the four of them, despite how tired she was because of her advanced pregnancy.

Now they were in Sirius’s former room. They hadn’t waited for the fire to be extinguished, for the flames to be tamed. They had left as soon as James had spoken the words ‘Godric’s Hollow’. They didn’t have much hope to be able to get any of their belongings back anyway. And for now, it was okay. For now they were not grieving over their lost pictures, or their destroyed books, or their burnt memories. They had been so scared to lose each other, they didn’t mind for now. For now, they just felt lucky to be both alive and well.

They hadn’t really spoken since they had found each other in the street before the raging flames. They had just held on each other tight, and kissed, and held hands.

Sirius stared at Marlene as the young woman was watching the dying night on the other side of the windowpane, her eyes set upon Sirius’s bike. He had gone to the meeting with it, it was probably the only thing they had left, along with the clothes they were wearing.

He watched her golden curls fall down across her back, her lips slightly parted, the fear that was still painted in her eyes.

He stood up from the bed, and walked to her, wrapping his arms around her from behind, dropping a kiss on her shoulder. She rested her hands upon his, intertwining their fingers together.

“You’re cold,” Sirius whispered, feeling her cool skin on his fingers.

She shrugged.

“I’m… shocked a bit. Shaken.”

“It’s normal, I reckon.”

He tightened his hold on her, deeply breathing in her sugary shampoo.

“We’re safe, Marls,” he tried to reassure her, despite the fact that his own voice was shaking.

“Do you think that they were coming for us specifically?” she asked in a low voice, her throat tightening.

“No, I don’t think so,” he shook his head. “I think they wanted to scare people. That’s all. If they were coming for us, they would have tried to follow us, to find us. They didn’t. They merely burnt the building. Why burn the building if the person you’re chasing is not in it?”

She nodded. It made sense. Enough for now, at least.

She sniffed, and he looked at her again, before brushing her tears away, drying her cheeks with his thumbs. He made her turn towards him, and her head immediately fell in the crook of his neck.

“I was so scared,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I was so scared that you had come home early… When I saw the dark mark in the sky…”

Her voice broke, her body trembling under a sob that overpowered her body. Sirius shushed her gently, rocking her in his arms like he would have done with a young child.

“I’m fine,” he whispered, tears running down his cheeks again too. “Now, I’m fine.”

“Now?”

He shook his head, clenching his jaw, unable to summon enough strength to speak for a moment. Marlene looked up at him, but he was just crying too much. She soothingly ran a hand through his hair, a gesture she knew was always calming him down, and he let out a sob.

“I thought you were dead,” he said, looking at her again. “You were supposed to go home after work, I thought… I thought you were in there. And I was trying to get inside but Moody stopped me and I… I thought you were dead, Marls…”

His voice broke, and this time she was the one to wrap her arms around him and to reassure him, cradling him in her arms.

“It would have been my fault,” he whispered, holding her so tightly against him she could barely breathe. “If you had died tonight, it would have been my fault. I’m the one who asked you not to go to the meeting, I thought you would be safer in our home… I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…”

“I’m fine, Sirius. I’m fine, I’m unhurt. You were just trying to protect me. And I thought that our flat was the safest place in the world as well. It’s not your fault. And anyway, as usual, I didn’t listen to you, and all ended well…”

He chuckled despite his tears, and she soon joined him.

“I love you, Marlene,” he whispered, looking into her eyes once more. “I love you… I can’t lose you. I can’t… I’d rather die…”

“Don’t say things like that,” she interrupted him.

He bit down on his lip. He seemed nervous all of a sudden. His hand rose to tenderly cup her cheek.

“Marry me,” he whispered.

Her eyes grew wide in shock.

“What?!” was all she could manage to ask back.

“Marry me, Marlene.”

“What?… But…”

“Marry me,” he interrupted her, and there was something so urgent and passionate in his grey eyes, she didn’t stop him. “I love you. I love you so… damn much and… I almost lost you tonight. I thought I had. I thought you were gone. I thought I would never have the chance to tell you that I love you more than anything in this fucking world and that… nothing matters to me but you. I love you. And I want to spend all the time I have left on this shitty earth with you. No matter if I have a few days left, or a few months, or a hundred years… You’re the only one who will give me hope and make me believe that there is something good enough in this world… something worth living for. It doesn’t matter how much time I have left, I want to spend it with you. And I don’t want you to spend the time you have left with anyone else than me either. I know I laughed at James and Lily for getting married so young, but tonight I’ve realized that everything can be taken away from us in just a second. And it can happen in eighty years just like it can happen in two hours. I know it sounds crazy. I know we’ve never talked about this but… I know you’re the one. I know it. And I don’t want to wait. What if we don’t have enough time left for us to wait?”

She smiled. She was crying, but she was smiling as well.

“I never thought you were the kind of guy who could get married,” she laughed.

“For you, I’d do anything. Here’s the final proof.”

They both chuckled, until Sirius asked her one more time.

“So? Will you marry me, Marlene McKinnon? Will you make me the luckiest guy on the planet?”

She nodded slowly, still grinning and crying at the same time.

“You know I love you with all my heart, and it will never change. Of course I want to marry you, Sirius Black.”

——————————————————

Marlene had a dreamy smile on her face. She was admiring the delicate engagement ring Sirius had bought for her. She had been reluctant at the idea of letting him leave the safe cottage, but now he was back and had slipped the ring around her finger and she just felt so happy…

It was such a strange situation. There was a war raging outside, her home had been destroyed, her family was gone, some of her friends were either in danger, either dead… And yet all she could feel for now was happiness.

She felt Sirius sitting next to her on the couch.

“So? Do you like it?” Sirius asked her, nudging her.

She nodded looking up at him.

“It’s beautiful, Sirius,” she grinned, before leaning to kiss him.

“I’m glad you like it,” he smirked, wrapping his arms around her and drawing her closer to him.

“I can’t believe that we’re really going to do this,” she breathed, staring at the jewel wrapped around her finger, an aghast look on her face.

“Are you having second thoughts?” Sirius asked, still smiling, although she knew he was not completely joking.

She was too much used to this old habit of his, he always tried to hide his weaknesses behind jokes.

“No I’m not having second thoughts, you idiot,” she shook her head, laughing. “Of course not… It’s amazing.”

She rested her head in the crook of his neck.

“Are you sure everything will be ready in just two weeks?” she asked.

“Why not? We don’t have a thousand people to invite anyway.”

“You’re quite right.”

“I have to find a suit though.”

“And I have to find a dress.”

“I wouldn’t be against the idea of you doing it naked…”

“Before all the guests? Before all these men who would see me naked?”

“Right… you definitely need to find a dress.”

They both laughed.

“We also need a cake,” Marlene said.

“I’m sure Lily and Molly will do a great job,” Sirius shrugged.

“I agree. But I want chocolate.”

“Anything you want, babe.”

A grin slowly formed on her red lips.

“Marlene Black… that sounds quite good.”

But Sirius pulled away quickly, staring at her with his eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched.

“You’re not taking my name,” he said firmly.

She frowned hard.

“Sirius… we’re going to get married…”

“You. Are. Not. Taking. My. Name,” he said through gritted teeth, his grey eyes now burning with anger.

“I don’t understand…” she breathed.

But he merely shook his head in response, and stood up from the couch. He seemed upset, and angry…

“I forbid you to do that,” he ordered in a frozen voice.

But Marlene was not the kind of girl to accept orders, and she stood up as well, following Sirius as he walked into the kitchen. The blond woman suddenly found herself grateful that James and Lily were not in the house to hear her and Sirius fighting.

“Who do you think you are exactly to _forbid_ me to do something?” she replied, crossing her arms before her chest.

“Your future husband?” he replied in an acerbic tone.

He opened the drawer to get some biscuits, but she closed it again before he could grab anything. He exhaled loudly, turning towards her again, his grey eyes now made of steel.

“My future husband will learn very soon that he doesn’t have the right to give me orders,” she snapped back, her voice getting louder and louder at every word. “I’m not your thing!”

He rolled his eyes.

“You’re ridiculous, you know that?” he snapped back.

“Why couldn’t I have your name? We’re going to be husband and wife!”

“I don’t want you to wear my name,” he repeated.

She narrowed her eyes.

“What now? Are you ashamed of me or something? I don’t plan to have a secret marriage! Thank you, we’ve already had the secret dating in sixth year, and it was shit!”

“Of course I’m not ashamed of you! Can you even hear yourself talking bullshit!?”

“I don’t understand anything right now!”

“I’m a BLACK!”

He crossed his arms before him, leaning against the sink, his jaw clenched so tightly it was painful. She could see tears in his eyes now.

And she felt so stupid…

“Sirius…” she said softly, all traces of anger now erased from her features.

But he shook his head.

“I don’t want you to have my name,” he repeated, his voice shaking now.

He shifted, but didn’t push her away when she rested her hand on his arm.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have shouted at you, it was stupid,” she apologized. “I hadn’t thought about that…”

“Marls I…”

But his voice broke, and even if he tried to clear his throat, he was unable to speak for a moment. And Marlene seized the occasion to hold his head in her hands, stroking tenderly his cheeks with her thumbs and forcing his grey eyes clouded with tears to set upon her.

“I love you, Sirius,” she said softly, tenderly. “I love you. I want to marry you. And I should share your name. I want to do it.”

But he shook his head.

“I won’t let you do that,” he stubbornly replied.

“But Sirius…”

“I love you, Marls. How can you think for just a second that I would let you have anything to do with _them_? How could I let you wear my name when I’m so ashamed of it?! For fuck’s sake…”

“But I’m not ashamed to be with _you,_ Sirius.”

“I’m ashamed of this name. I won’t let you wear it.”

“But I want to.”

They stared at each other for a while, silence settling between them.

Until Sirius shook his head one more time.

“I… I can’t…” he breathed, and anger had left his gaze in favour of pain and sorrow now. “It’s a curse, Marls. This whole family, this name, it’s… it’s a curse I can’t get rid of and I won’t let you wear it too.”

“What if…”

“Marls, I said no. Please. Please…”

He heaved a frustrated sigh.

“You don’t understand, Marls.”

He strode out of the kitchen, leaving her alone. She heaved a sigh, leaning against the sink.

She needed to find a solution…

———————————————–

“You look sharp.”

Sirius turned around to find James smirking at him.

“Do you have the rings?”

James tapped on his pocket, nodding.

“I’m already a better best man than you were for my wedding, Pads,” James joked.

“I did find the rings on time,” Sirius replied.

“Because Remus and Peter helped you out.”

Sirius laughed, turning towards the mirror before him again. He straightened his black tuxedo one more time.

“Nervous? It’s normal, I was too,” James reassured him.

“What if she realizes she could have better and runs away?” Sirius asked, turning towards James again, a panicked look on his face.

“Funny, Prongs asked the same question on his wedding day about Lily,” Remus laughed, walking into the room.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” Sirius mumbled.

“No, you’re not,” Peter laughed.

“Prongs, I’m warning you, if your speech is ridiculous…” Sirius warned him.

“You’ll love me, yes, I know.”

They all laughed.

“Don’t worry, I’ve planned to only say… not too nasty things about you.”

“Thanks. Because _my_ speech at your wedding was brilliant!”

“I have to admit that it was a rather good one.”

“It’s time, Pads,” Remus patted his shoulder.

Sirius took a deep breath, before walking towards the door.

All the guests were already there. Not many people though, only close friends, most of them were part of the Order. Sirius walked across the Potter’s garden, and he grinned at Dumbledore who was waiting for him under a wooden arch covered with white flowers.

“Not too nervous?” the old wizard asked him.

“A bit,” Sirius admitted. “Thank you for doing this.”

“The occasions to celebrate sweet moments of love are rather rare these days. The pleasure is all mine.”

“We just… couldn’t take the risk to ask someone we didn’t trust to come.”

“It’s alright, Sirius. I feel very privileged.”

Sirius grinned at the sight of McGonagall already preparing some tissues.

“Do you think our dear old Minnie is going to burst into tears again?” Sirius chuckled.

“Probably,” Dumbledore nodded, winking at the young man next to him.

But then Lily appeared at the entrance of the garden, and everyone fell silent. And then…

Sirius was vaguely aware of the music playing, of people whispering, of James standing by his side but… the only thing his mind could settle onto was Marlene.

She was walking across the garden, her long, white dress embracing her forms perfectly, a grin on her lips red with lipstick, her blond curls falling around her and her eyes shining so brightly with so much joy…

She was radiating, and she was brighter than the sun itself.

Sirius knew that he was gawking but he didn’t care if he looked like an idiot. His heart was beating so fast…

She finally reached him, gave her bouquet of daisies to Lily, before turning towards Sirius, her grin never faltering.

He took her hands in his, the same large grin on his face.

And at this moment, he knew he was the luckiest man in the world, without a doubt.

——————————————————

Their hands seemed to be sealed, glued together by an invisible force. Since they had sealed their vows with that kiss, Sirius and Marlene hadn’t stopped to hold hands. Even now that the party was about to start, their fingers were still intertwined.

All the guests were now gathered around the long tables that had been set in the garden. The night had fallen, and lanterns were hovering above the little crowd to scare away the shadows of the night.

“Now! Let us all raise our glass before turning the music on!” James cried above the cheering of the crowd. “To Sirius and Marlene Black!”

Everyone cheered except for Sirius, who opened his mouth to reply, but Marlene stopped him.

“But, Marls… it’s better if we set things straight now, everyone is listening.”

“But he didn’t get my name wrong, Sirius,” she said softly, looking warily at him.

They stared at each other for a few seconds, and she could see Sirius slowly clenching his jaw.

He waited for everyone to be focused on the music that was now playing to pull Marlene towards the house.

They crossed the cottage, and he didn’t stop walking before they had reached the street on the other side of the house.

The music was loud enough to be heard even from the street, although the merry waves of laughter were only whispers there.

“What are you talking about?!” he asked, his voice shaking with fear more than anger.

“Don’t you read any paper that you sign?” she asked back.

“No, Marlene! It’s our wedding! Do you really think that I could focus on anything but you!?”

She couldn’t help but smile.

“You do like my dress then,” she grinned.

“We’ll talk about that dress of yours later, it’s not the point here.”

She took a step closer to him, resting her hand on his shoulder.

“I know you don’t want me have your name,” she said in a soothing and yet firm tone. “I know that you want to protect me from your family, from their reputation. I know that you want to stay away from this part of you. But here is the thing, Sirius… I love _you_. All parts of you. Even the broken child. Even the boy who wakes up in a sweat after having nightmares. Don’t look at me like that, we sleep together, do you really think that I don’t know that you have nightmares?”

He shifted his weight from one leg to the other, uncomfortable all of a sudden, but he didn’t look away from her eyes.

“It’s okay,” she went on, her tone still soft and warm. “It’s okay, Sirius. You’re tortured by your past, but it’s okay. I love you. And I’m not ashamed of wearing your name, because to me it’s not your parents’ name. It’s _your_ name. And I hope… I hope we have enough time left to build our own home. A real home. Your family is shitty, and I don’t have a family anymore, but I don’t care, we’ll build one for ourselves. We’ll build our own family for just the two of us. And you know what? Let’s make your mother mad because we got married and now a girl like me is wearing her name.”

He chuckled, sweeping a tear away from his eye.

“You’re crazy, McKinnon,” he teased her.

“Black,” she smirked. “It’s 'Black’ now.”

He ran a hand through her hair, nodding slowly.

“I guess it’s too late now, anyway…” he breathed.

“It is. It’s signed. It’s my name, now.”

She raised their entwined hands.

“Come on, I want my first dance with my husband,” she grinned.

He laughed.

“How could I refuse my wife a dance?” he replied, smirking now.

“You can’t.”

He wrapped an arm around her waist, drawing her closer to him, and he slowly made her sway to the rhythm of the music coming from the party.

He rested his cheek against her hair as they danced there, in the middle of the street, the night chased away by the lampposts that surrounded them.

“About that dress of yours,” he said softly, and she could hear that he had a tender smile on his lips, “you’re beautiful, McKinnon.”

“Black. It’s 'Black’”.

“Sorry,” he chuckled. “You’re beautiful, _Black_.”

“Thank you, _Black_.”

They both chuckled.

“Black…” he whispered against her hair, nodding slowly. “Marlene Black… Yeah, I think… I think I could get used to that…”


	3. Princess

Marlene had learned about her pregnancy just a couple of days before. She didn’t know how to announce the news to Sirius, and to be fairly honest, she was afraid about the whole thing too. The baby was not planned, they were married, yes, but had never talked about having children. And considering the war that still raged outside, she didn’t reckon that now was the best time to have a child.

And yet, there she was. Pregnant. Wondering how she could announce the news to her husband.

Getting an abortion had crossed her mind but she had pushed the thought away quickly. After all, Sirius was the man she wanted to spend her life with. She didn’t want anyone else as the father of her children. And the thought of her expecting a child she would raise with the man she loved could only make her smile. It was this war outside that made her doubt about everything…

How could she keep her child safe? What if Sirius and she were killed out there? What would happen to the baby then?

She had asked Lily to come to her flat, and she hurried to the door when she heard the three knocks her friend always used when she came to visit.

The ginger Witch was carrying her son in her arms, dark lines colouring the skin under her eyes. She looked more dishevelled than usual. And Marlene guessed that Harry must have given his parents trouble to sleep.

“Thank you for coming, Lils,” Marlene welcomed her with a smile, inviting her to enter.

“Is Sirius here?” Lily asked as she let herself fall onto the sofa.

“No, he’s at a meeting.”

“James is there too.”

“How is the little guy?” Marlene asked, before cooing at the little baby and tickling his naked feet, making the baby laugh.

“Fine. He apparently enjoys keeping his parents up all night long and then sleep perfectly most of the day,” Lily sighed.

Marlene smiled at her exhausted friend.

“Other than that, he’s fine,” Lily rested her tender eyes on her son. “James went crazy yesterday night because Harry managed to lift one of his toys with only one hand. Now, he claims that Harry has super-strength.”

The two women laughed, her eyes still tenderly resting on Harry.

“Wait until he tell Sirius. You’ll have even more trouble,” Marlene joked.

“He takes his role of godfather very seriously, doesn’t he?”

“Yep. He says that he intends to run for best godfather in the world one day.”

The two women laughed at the ridiculous behaviour of their husbands around the baby for a while, until silence eventually settled in the room.

Marlene nervously twisted her hands together, clasping her own fingers as she shyly looked up at her best friend.

“Lils, I need some advice,” she let out in a breath, making her friend frown.

“Sure, go ahead. Is everything okay, Marls? Did you have a fight with Sirius?”

“No, no, no. Sirius and I are doing great.”

“What’s wrong then?”

Marlene bit down on her lower lip, hesitating for one more moment, before letting out the question that burnt her tongue.

“I… I have to tell something important to Sirius. But I don’t know how… How… How did you tell James that you were pregnant?”

Lily’s green eyes grew round, before a grin would graze her lips.

“Oh, Merlin! You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”

Marlene shyly nodded.

“That’s wonderful! Did you hear that, Harry? You’re going to have a cousin!”

Marlene rolled her eyes, but she had a wide smile on her lips now.

“We’re not sisters, Lils. And James and Sirius aren’t brothers.”

“We’re all family, Marls. That’s the same thing.”

Before Marlene could move, Lily was hugging her, Harry pressed between the two of them, but giggling all the same.

“I’m so happy for you, Marls!”

“But I… I don’t know how to tell Sirius…”

“Just tell him. No need for fancy words. Just tell him. He loves you so much, he’ll be happy about it.”

“Do you think so? We’ve never talked about having children before and… with everything he went through as a child… I know that it’s a sensible subject.”

“You have to tell him. And I’ve never said that he won’t freak out, he _will_ freak out. James was bloody terrified. We still are terrified. But it’s worth it, Marls. And Sirius will be a great dad. He suffered too much because he was unloved by his own parents, I bet he’s going to pour every drop of love he has in his children.”

Marlene nodded slowly, absentmindedly resting her hand on her stomach, making Lily giggle.

“You’re already doing the ‘rubbing your belly’ thing,” the ginger woman mocked her friend.

Marlene made a movement to push her own hand away from her stomach, but actually, she didn’t. She let her fingers wander upon her T-shirt, and a tender smile formed on her face.

Because the truth was, she loved this baby already.

—————————————————

Sirius walked home with dark bags darkening the skin under his grey eyes. A tiring day in an exhausting week. He was so tired about everything. All he longed for was a buterbeer and to fall on his sofa. He wanted to sleep. And he wanted to hold his wife in his arms too. He was gone already when she woke up that morning, and he had missed hearing her voice all day long. A mocking smile formed on his lips. He was ridiculous for feeling so addicted to her. But then, there was nothing he could do…

He unlocked the door of the tiny house Marlene and he shared, throwing his coat on the closest chair while he casted all the locking spells he knew on the front door. He walked to the kitchen to find Marlene cooking dinner already, and without a word, he walked to her and wrapped his arms around her from behind, making her giggle as he buried his face in the crook of her neck.

He heaved a tired sigh, finally relaxing, and it’s only when she turned around and closed her arms around him too that he started to feel safe. This whole war was driving him crazy, and it seemed that Marlene was one of the few people that could help anchor him to reality and keep his sanity for a little while longer.

“How was your day? What’s up with the Order?” Marlene asked him, stroking soothingly his back with one hand, while her other ran through his thick black hair.

He heaved another sigh.

“Moody’s leading a raid next week. I think he wants us to go.”

“Us? You mean, you and me?”

Sirius nodded.

“James said no. Too risky. Now that Harry’s here…”

“Anyway, he shouldn’t get out of Godric’s Hollow.”

“Lily neither. And she was here this evening, right? James told me.”

“Yeah. But I had her back.”

“I have his back!”

“I know. But who has yours?”

He didn’t answer. He had no answer to give. And he didn’t want to start an argument, when this subject had led to many arguments already. So, he merely tightened his hold on her instead.

He heard her take a sharp intake of breath before speaking again, her voice low and cautious.

“We can’t take that mission. Not if it’s really too risky.”

“I don’t want to lose you. I couldn’t lose you,” he admitted. “Which is why I told Moody that I would be the only one going.”

“Sirius!”

She pushed him away just enough to look into his eyes, but didn’t free herself from his embrace. It was the only place where she felt safe, after all.

“Sirius…”

“I know that you’re not going to agree.”

“I can’t lose you either!”

“I know. But I’m not going to be killed.”

“Why? Do you think that you’re immortal? Well, let me tell you, you’re not!”

“I know.”

“Then why?”

“Because someone has to do it. And there’s no one else.”

“You can’t go there.”

“Marlene…”

“Sirius, I need to tell you something…”

Her voice was lower again, and he frowned slightly as he read the hesitation in her glance.

“What’s wrong, love?” he asked, his voice soothing now.

“I don’t know how to tell you that…”

“Bluntly?”

She slowly nodded, but he could see that she was scared to speak…

He thought there were no secrets between them. He thought she trusted him enough to tell him everything. _He_ trusted her enough to tell her everything. What words could frighten her so much?

“I know we’ve never talked about that before,” she said slowly, staring up at him. “I know that now is not the best time. But it’s too late to change it anyway.”

Her voice broke, and he felt her shivering in his arms. His puzzled expression turned into worry.

“Marlene? Darling, what is it?”

“I'm…”

She gave him a smile, but he could still read in her eyes that she was scared.

“I’m pregnant.”

Sirius didn’t move. The words hit him too hard for that. He had no doubt to have heard her clearly. His brain just couldn’t process the whole thing.

“Sirius?” Marlene asked him after a long silence. “Could you say something?”

“Are you… are you sure?” he asked in a shaky breath, shaking himself out of his shock. “For how long have you known?”

“Just… yesterday night. But you came home too late for me to tell you. And yeah… I’m sure.”

A bright grin slowly appeared on his tired features, and he pushed away from her face a few strands of her golden hair, a look of pure adoration in his eyes.

“We’re going to have a baby?” he asked in a voice trembling with emotions.

She merely nodded, her grin matching his.

“You’re happy, right?” she asked in a whisper. “I was afraid you wouldn’t be.”

“Of course, I’m happy!”

He kissed her for a long while, before resting his large hand on her stomach, and his brow against hers.

“I’m not going to that mission next week,” he shook his head, his eyes glued to her belly.

“Good decision,” she smiled.

“I’m so happy,” his voice was shaking again. “And so damn scared at the same time… is that normal?”

“Yeah. I am too.”

“I have to tell James. And Remus. And Peter.”

She laughed, tightening her hold on him again, until she was trapped in a full embrace again.

“Okay, but first, we celebrate.”

“Celebrate? No alcohol for you anymore. Liquor’s officially banished from this house!”

She laughed again.

“I know. But I prepared pastas.”

“Is that supposed to impress me?”

“Shut up!”

They both laughed for quite a while. They finished their dinner together and cuddled for a while before Sirius would call their friends.

And the night soon turned into a party, when no one slept at all. But it was merry and bright, and for a moment, just one night, the war was very far away.

——————————————————–

A girl. The healer had announced them just an hour ago. Nor Sirius nor Marlene could possibly wait any longer to discover if they were to have a boy or a girl.

Marlene sat down on their sofa, while Sirius was bringing the ice cream she had asked for. She kept on wanting food these days, and Sirius was never disappointing in bringing her exactly what she craved for.

“Thank you, love,” she grinned as he handed her the ice cream and a spoon.

He smiled, sitting down next to her so she could rest her back against his chest, and he left his hand travel across her swollen belly, thinking about his daughter that kept on growing inside…

_His daughter_ …

“We should start thinking about a name.”

But Marlene snorted.

“You’re not going to make me believe that you haven’t spent countless nights thinking about it already,” she mocked. “Because I did.”

“I did too,” he laughed, and she sank into the feeling of his laughter running through her back, and to her heart.

“I like Lizzie,” she admitted.

“Lizzie? It’s rather cute.”

“You?”

But he shrugged.

“I want her name to have a meaning, you know?”

He tried to hide it, but his throat tightened when he went on.

“And no bloody stars or constellations.”

She soothingly took his hand in hers and rubbed the back of his fingers with her thumb.

“What kind of meaning would you like?” she asked, resting her head against his shoulder.

“I don’t know… something… sweet… what she is to us.”

“Hope?”

He smiled.

“I didn’t know you were so good at picking names!”

“I’m excellent at everything, hadn’t you noticed yet?” she joked, making him laugh even more while she ate a huge mouthful of vanilla ice cream.

Sirius looked down where his fingers drew patterns on his wife’s belly, and a dreamy smile formed on his face.

“I bet you’re going to spoil her,” Marlene chuckled, making Sirius grin. “She’ll have you wrap around her finger.”

“Yeah… I will spoil her. I’ll make sure she’s loved.”

She looked up at him, and planted her spoon in the ice cream to run a soothing hand down his arm.

“We’ll take good care of her, Sirius. We’ll love her. _You_ will be an amazing father. And I know that you will love her and show it to her.”

“I don’t want her to go through what I had to survive to.”

“She won’t.”

“I want to be better than them.”

He didn’t need to name his parents for Marlene to know perfectly well who he was talking about.

“You _are_ better than them, Sirius. And I know that you’ll be a wonderful dad.”

“How can you be so sure?”

His dreamy expression had turned into one of worry, and Marlene rested her hand on his, intertwining their fingers together.

“Because I know you,” she answered softly. “Because you know what it feels like, not being loved. And I know you would never let anyone go through that too, let alone your own child.”

“I’m doing my best, you know that, right?”

“You’re doing great,” Marlene smiled up at him. “And you’re going to treat our daughter like a princess, no doubt!”

Sirius’s grin grazed his lips once more.

“Hell, yeah… a princess… That’s it. She’s my princess.”

“Told you… By the way, honey?”

“Hmm?”

“I want chocolate now. Could you get me some? Pretty, please?”

——————————————————

The search for the name of their baby had turned into an obsession. Because they wanted it to be perfect. They wanted something not too common, and they wanted something full of meaning. Sirius and Remus had spent an entire day buying all the books about names that they could find, and Marlene and Sirius kept on looking for the perfect name.

Meanwhile, the war still raged outside. Remus was to be sent away on a dangerous mission, although he had refused to tell his friends what it was about and for how long he would be gone.

He wasn’t stupid after all, he knew they would have joined him if they knew. Or they would have stopped him, but the Order couldn’t afford Remus to refuse to go. They needed a spy amongst the werewolves, he was the only one fitting for the job, in the closest ring of the Order members. But if his friends knew that he was leaving them to risk his life as a spy, they would have stopped him, or had insisted on coming as well.

And as he cradled a drowsing Harry in his arms, he knew that he couldn’t let them come with him. Sirius and James had a family now. Peter had to stay and look after them all for him.

“Oh, did Harry fell asleep, Moony?” James tore his friend away from his thoughts.

An improvised party had gathered them all at Godric’s Hollow. Remus was to leave the next morning. But no one really wanted to part. So instead of going home after the Order meeting taking place earlier that evening, they all went to have dinner together at James’s and Lily’s sanctuary.

Remus looked up at his friend as he bent to check if his son was asleep.

“Not completely, but I think I’m nearly there, Prongs,” Remus whispered.

“You are fantastic, Moony! I’ve tried everything, but Harry just… won’t sleep.”

“He just needs to be tired.”

“I’ll put him to bed, give him to me.”

He let James hold Harry again, and heaved a sigh as he watched James disappear up the stairs.

A mere second had passed when Sirius let himself fall onto the sofa next to him, and handed him a beer.

“How are you and Marls doing?” Remus asked as he opened his beer.

“Great. Terrified, but great.”

“Are you going to go in hiding?”

“Yeah. It’s time to go,” Sirius nodded. “I’ve asked Dumbledore to come before dawn to cast the spell.”

“Will I have time to learn your location before I leave?”

Sirius threw him a cautious look, the kind of look that the werewolf only knew too well, and that always preceded the request for a favour.

“Actually, we’ve been discussing that a lot, with Marls,” Sirius let out in a sigh. “I don’t think that it’s a good idea to have James being our secret keeper.”

“Really? Why not?”

“Same reason as it was a terrible idea to have me as his secret keeper.”

“Too obvious?”

“I’m his son’s godfather. He’s going to be my daughter’s godfather. Marls is Harry’s godmother too. It’s too obvious. And… what if they’re found?”

Sirius’s throat tightened at the mere thought.

“I… Marlene and I, we would like to ask you to be our secret keeper.”

Remus’s jaw dropped for a moment, before he would shake himself and answer in a low voice.

“Sirius, I’m leaving for a dangerous mission…”

“I know.”

“I can’t. What if I’m captured?”

“You’re not going to be captured. Actually… we’re making sure that you won’t let yourself be trapped.”

A touched smile appeared on Remus’s lips.

“We know you would never put any of us in danger,” Sirius went on. “But you could put yourself in danger. And we want you back home safe and sound.”

“Padfoot… What if I’m killed out there?”

“You can’t be killed. If you do, we’ll all be in danger.”

“You really have a twisted mind.”

They exchanged a smile.

“Now, tell me that it won’t work. Tell me that it won’t make you more cautious, if you know that you have to take care of us too.”

Remus nodded, tears forming at the corners of his eyes, but he held them back.

“You should take James.”

But Sirius shook his head.

“I want it to be you.”

Sirius let out a shaky breath, before speaking again.

“I trust you. I trust you with my life. With our three lives.”

“As if you didn’t trust James.”

“Of course, I do. But everyone is too stupid to realize that you are so important to me too. They just see James and me. But you're… you’ve always been my best friend too, Moony.”

“I know, Padfoot,” Remus answered in a breath. “But James is your brother.”

“That’s why I’m asking my best friend, instead of my brother. Because I trust him just the same, but my secret will be safer then.”

Sirius gave Remus a sad smile.

“Also… Prongs will be the godfather, obviously. But… we don’t think about getting a godmother for our daughter. I mean, Lils will be like a godmother already through Prongs, so no need to make it official. And I have no family, beside you all. And Marlene doesn’t have any family left either. So… do you think that she could have two godfathers instead?”

“I’m not sure you can, Sirius. Legally, I mean.”

“Because we wanted you to be godfather too.”

They exchanged a smile filled with emotions.

“That makes a lot of favours for one night,” Remus let out in a breath.

“I know.”

“Can I say no?” he asked Sirius, who snorted in response.

“You can try. But you will find out that Marlene is even scarier when she’s mad now that she’s pregnant.”

“I guess I can’t decline then,” Remus chuckled.

“No, you can’t.”

A silence settled for a moment, and Sirius’s eyes drifted back towards Marlene on their own accord.

But when he spoke again, he was still talking to Remus. And in his voice, there was no trace of humour, only begging.

“Moony, please… don’t get killed. I don’t want to lose any of my best friends. Please, Remus.”

“Same for you here while I’m away, Padfoot,” the werewolf breathed in answer, and this time, he had to chase the tear away with the back of his hand to avoid having it rolling down his cheek. “I can’t lose any of you.”

“Don’t worry, I’m looking after this group of monkeys.”

They both laughed, their eyes still wet with withheld tears though.

“You’re the worst of us all!”

“Not anymore,” Sirius shook his head. “Now, I’m going to be a dad! I can’t take risks anymore. I just… I just want to keep everyone safe now.”

“But you still want to fight, though.”

“But I still want to fight. And then I think of my daughter and I think… that I want to see her at least once before dying.”

“And then you go to that mission.”

“Because I want her to be safe. And she won’t be if we lose.”

“Shitty world.”

“Yep.”

They both hit their bottles of beer together in a silent cheer.

“About the baby… have you found her name?”

But Sirius moaned.

“No, not yet. We can’t settle on anything. I want the perfect one! You know… she’s my little princess, I want to find a good name. What if she hates me all her life for having a shitty name?”

“Why don’t you call her like that?”

“Like what?”

“Princess.”

“It’s not a name…”

“Maybe it is in another language, you moron!”

Sirius opened and closed his mouth several times, before nodding.

“That… could work.”

“Check it out.”

“Sure thing.”

“I guess I’ll know when I come back.”

“You have two months left before the baby’s here. And I am warning you, you’d better bring back your arse here to meet her on time!”

“I promise I will.”

They exchanged a smile again, and finished their beer.

The next day, while Remus was already gone, and the spell that would protect Sirius and his family had been casted, the couple checked for names for their daughter all over again.

Sirius looked for the word 'princess’ in several languages, looking for a tongue that could use it as a name.

The smile that formed on his face as he read the name among the long list of Arabic and Hebrew names was enough to tell Marlene that he had finally found the perfect one.

“Which one?”

He looked up at her with eyes sparkling with love.

“Amira. My princess.”


	4. Lionheart

This was probably his favourite sight. Red hair bathed in the early light of a bright morning. Naked feet on the wooden floor. A pair of green eyes laughing and shining more brightly than the lazy sun outside. Cheeks stained with light freckles. A graceful frame wrapped in one of his Quidditch T-shirts…

The smile on James’s face was dreamy but no less wide. As he leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen, his glasses lopsided on his nose, standing still, he wished he could freeze time for a little while. Spending his life watching his wife in such a simple and yet sweet moment was enough for him, he would have never asked for anything else.

And yet… yet life had granted so much more. Three wonderful children he loved with all his heart, the most loyal and ridiculous friends a man could wish to have… James Potter had always considered himself lucky, but he had to admit that adulthood had proven to him that he was indeed an atrociously lucky man.

Lily seemed to finally notice his presence behind her, and she turned to him fully, welcoming him with a warm smile.

She was about to wish him a good morning as he strode in the kitchen, but she was shushed by a pair of eager lips pressed against hers instead. She couldn’t refrain a chuckle despite James’s kiss.

“Wow… what a warm way to say 'good morning’!” she joked.

James wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her closer to him.

“My beautiful wife deserves the warmest 'good morning’ possible.”

“Is that really the best you’ve got then, Potter?” she asked back in a flirtatious tone that made James chuckle.

“You know that it’s never a good idea to challenge me, _Potter_ ,” he replied with a darkest glint in his hazel eyes, although it didn’t diminish the tenderness in his gaze.

“Backing off already?”

“You’ve called for it, Lils…”

The next second, he had carried her up to sit on the table behind them, making her giggle, before he pressed hot kisses down her neck, her laughter getting caught in her throat in response.

But they were interrupted by the sound of running footsteps in the stairs, and James let out a frustrated growl before breaking away from his wife.

“I love our children, but sometimes, I hate them,” he complained, making Lily laugh.

She ran her fingers through his thick black hair, messing it up even more than sleep had during the night. But after all, she loved his messy jet-black hair, she just couldn’t help it…

Without surprise, they both turned towards the door to discover an excited little boy, with hair and lopsided glasses that matched his father’s, but eyes of a deep green hue that were identical to his mother’s.

“We need to hurry!” he cried, running in the kitchen.

“Well, good morning to you too, Harry,” James laughed.

“We need to hurry,” the boy repeated. “We must get ready, uncle Padfoot and uncle Moony will soon be here!”

Harry grabbed a pancake and shoved it fully into his mouth.

“Hey, hey… slow down!” Lily reprimanded him. “Sit down and eat your breakfast correctly. We still have lots of time before everyone arrives to pick us up.”

“Can I use Padfoot’s motorcycle?” Harry asked shyly.

But even his cute expression could not fool his parents.

“Sirius will come by the Floo Network. Anyway, it’s too far from here to fly.”

Harry tried to pout to convince his parents but James shook his head.

“He’s not coming with it, Harry.”

“But perhaps after we shop we can…”

“After that we are all going to eat dinner at the Weasleys, remember?”

Harry’s expression brightened at the mention of the wizarding family he considered like his own.

“You’re right,” he finally agreed. “I’ve promised Ron that I would help him against Fred and George at Quidditch.”

“Be careful when you play with them,” Lily admonished, her voice soft though, and her tone worried.

“I’m always careful!” Harry brushed her remark away. “Besides, Ron needs me, mum!”

Lily and James exchanged a glance, and she pointed an accusatory and yet playful finger at her husband.

“I knew you and your genes would be trouble, Potter,” she joked, making James laugh.

She finally hooped down the table, only to land in James’s arms again.

“I know… but that’s why you love me so much,” he smirked, wriggling his eyebrows and making her join his laughter.

“Maybe a bit,” she admitted.

“Just a bit?”

“Maybe a lot…”

“Just a lot?”

“Don’t push your luck, Potter… I could still get a date with the giant squid if I wanted!”

“I thought that after all these years I would have proven myself to you by now!” he laughed.

She didn’t reply and merely dropped a kiss on his cheek instead, stepping again towards the food she had been preparing.

“You should go and wake up the girls,” she proposed. “I’ll finish to make breakfast.”

James merely nodded, stepping out of the kitchen and climbing up the stairs towards his daughters’ bedrooms.

He wasn’t surprised when he found his younger daughter in her sister’s bed, the two ginger girls wrapped in the same blanket. He smiled at the sight, sitting softly on the side of Rose’s bed. He ran his hand across their brows, a peaceful and happy expression on his face as he watched the two girls sleep, two little angels lost in their wild dreams.

Outside, the sun was shining more and more brightly, the blue sky immaculate.

Yes, James Potter was very lucky, indeed…

————————————————————————-

Lily held the letter in her hands. One more time… It seemed to be the thousandth time at least that she read the letters traced in a graceful handwriting. She just couldn’t believe that 11 years had already flown by.

Harry was eleven now, he had received his letter from Hogwarts and would be welcomed to the prestigious school in just a few days now. How years passed so fast…

“Mum, hurry!”

She smiled down at her son, following him further down the street.

Diagon Alley was as bright and full of magic as it had always been. Or at least, as her children remembered it. How she remembered it when she came for the first time as well. She had seen this long street wearing darker shades as well, full of shadows instead of smiles… But these days were long gone, and now the world was all full of light again.

She felt her husband slip his fingers between hers, and she reciprocated the light squeeze he gave her hand.

“Is everything alright?” James asked softly.

“Yes, it’s just… strange to take Harry here to buy books and quills and all sorts of things for _Hogwarts_. I hadn’t noticed that years had flown by so fast.”

“Me neither,” he admitted, and they exchanged a tender smile.

“Alright, buddy! Let’s do this properly!” Sirius’s happy voice tore both James and Lily out of their thoughts, to focus on the merry company that surrounded them. “First, you need your wand!”

Harry’s eyes lit up with excitement, and he turned to his parents.

“Can we go to Ollivanders then?”

“Where else could we possibly buy your wand?” James asked back, guiding the group through the busy crowd.

In Marlene’s arms, her son was pouting.

“Why can’t I have a wand too?” Arthur protested.

“Because you’re too little still. You have to wait until you’re eleven and you receive your letter to Hogwarts.”

“But it’s in such a long time!”

“Everything comes in good time, Arthur,” Sirius reassured his son. “You’ll be just fine. I’ll teach you a few tricks before that.”

“Sirius!” Lily protested.

“What?”

“You don’t have the right to do that!”

“Do you truly think that Prongs and I have taught nothing to your son yet?”

“You did WHAT?!”

Sirius winced, an apologetic expression on his face as his gaze met his brother’s.

“Sorry…”

“You had to open your mouth, Padfoot…” James sighed.

“James!”

“Lils, relax! We’ve just taught him a couple of things. Nothing dramatic!”

“I should most definitely get worried then. So much more worried…”

“Lils!”

But she had no time to protest furthermore, as they finally reached the right shop.

Harry had such a happy and excited expression on his face, his parents could not refrain the joyful smiles that formed on their lips.

They pushed the door of the old shop open, stepping inside to meet the old wandmaker that had sold to all of them their wands. The shop was filled with these memories of children picking up their wand for the first time. And as they walked inside the dusty room that smelled like wood and candles, they could all see their 11-years-old selves standing before the counter all over again.

The children had awe painted all over their faces before the tall shelves filled with tiny boxes. So many magical wands in just one place…

“I can’t wait to come back here next year,” Amira let out in a breath.

Sirius chuckled, bending down to drop a kiss upon his daughter’s head.

“Don’t wish too fast. I want to keep my princess by my side for one more year.”

“Dad!” the girl rolled her eyes. “I’m not little anymore!”

“You will always be little to us, get used to it,” her mother replied.

Amira heaved a dramatic sigh, that made her parents laugh.

But the attention of all in the group then focused on the old wizard before them, who welcomed them with a smile.

“Oh, I knew that you would come this year!” the wandmaker smiled at James and Lily. “Let’s see what I can find for your son!”

He took a close look at Harry at first, before humming softly.

“Yes, yes… perhaps…”

He picked up a box, and gave the wand to Harry.

“Did your parents explain to you how this works?”

“Uncle Moony explained to me,” Harry answered shyly, looking at Remus by his side, “that it’s the wand that chooses its wizard, not the other way around.”

“That’s perfectly correct!” Ollivanders nodded. “Try this one.”

Harry picked the wand but as soon as he waved it a little, the lamp on the merchant desk exploded. Harry started, and hurried to give Ollivanders back the wand.

“Alright, perhaps not this wood then…” the old wizard mumbled under his breath, thinking hard.

He picked up another box, and invited Harry to try it. But the result was no better, and several boxes flew across the room as Harry tried the new wand.

“I see… then, I guess you really need a bit of both…” Ollivanders smiled.

He walked further down the alley between the shelves, climbed up upon a ladder and gave Harry a third box.

“Try this one, my boy. I think that’s the right one!”

Harry carefully picked up the new wand, apprehensive at the idea to try again and break something else. But he waved the wand again anyway, and no explosion happened this time, and nothing was thrown across the room either… instead, Harry found out that the wand felt good in his hand. As if it was a part of him already. He grinned up at the wandmaker, who nodded his head with a content look on his face.

“The same wood and length as your father’s wand, but the heart of your mother’s. You did need a bit of both indeed!”

Harry happily turned to his parents, to find them both with tears shining in their eyes. James bent down to level his eyes with his son’s, a touched smile on his lips.

“Good choice,” James nodded. “We’re very proud of you, Harry. You know that, right? We’ll always be very proud of you.”

The boy nodded, before rushing in his father’s arms.

While Lily and James paid for the wand, Sirius and Remus both took a closer look to Harry’s new tool.

“It looks like a very good wand,” Sirius nodded in approbation.

“Indeed. Put it to good use,” Remus nodded as well, giving Harry a wink.

Harry grinned up at his uncles.

“I will.”

“You do remember the spell to make the armours sing, right?” Sirius checked in a whisper, so Lily would not hear him.

“Of course I do,” Harry reassured him. “And Ron managed to do it too!”

“Perfect! You already have your partner in crime, then!”

“But don’t get caught!” Remus warned the boy. “And don’t be cruel to anyone!”

“Of course not!”

Remus and Sirius exchanged a proud smile. They had done a very good job in Harry’s education, clearly.

“Okay, now we have the wand, let’s go through the rest of the list, shall we?” Marlene proposed, walking out of the wandmaker’s shop.

They went from shop to shop, buying books and cauldrons and robes and parchments and quills and everything that Harry would need for his year at Hogwarts. Marlene and Lily chose a beautiful set of parchments and envelopes from Amaneunsis Quills that they gave to the boy, joking about their need for weekly reports on what was happening in the school. They made a stop before the shop Magical Menagerie, where Peter was working. Harry explained everything that had happened and showed to his uncle all the new books his parents had bought for him. And there was one more happy surprise as Hagrid came to the shop while they talked to Peter. The half-giant, though he seemed more than happy to see the little gathering of his friends, also seemed to have some business of some kind going on, as he suspiciously whispered something in Peter’s ear.

“Now, Hagrid… don’t force me to arrest you!” Sirius joked. “If I find out that you’ve been rescuing magical creatures again and keeping them with you instead of releasing them where they belong…”

But Hagrid’s laugh cut Sirius off.

“I’m recovering a delivery, ’s all!” Hagrid laughed.

“A delivery? What kind? Food?” James asked with curiosity.

But Hagrid chuckled, looking down at Harry.

“Nay, something for ya boy!”

“For me?!” Harry asked with a bright grin.

“Hagrid, you didn’t have to buy anything!” Lily admonished, but the giant brushed her remark away.

“Makes me happy to. ’s normal that I buy a lil’ something for my friends’ son!”

Peter reappeared soon with a bright smile on his face, carrying a cage in which a beautiful snowy owl was imprisoned.

Peter handed the cage to Hagrid, who gave it to Harry, smiling at the awe on the boy’s face at the sight of the owl.

“ ’s for ya, Harry,” Hagrid grinned. “Take good care of her. Now, ya can write to ya family every day!”

“Hagrid, this is way too much…” James tried to protest, but the giant refused to hear about it.

And after all, Harry was already hugging the caretaker of Hogwarts.

“Thank you so much, Hagrid!”

The giant merely chuckled happily, patting the boys head that seemed so little against his large palm.

“Ya welcome,” Hagrid smiled. “What’s her name?”

Harry seemed to think for a while, before he smiled up at his family.

“Hedwig!”

“Cool name,” Sirius agreed, petting the animal through the bars of her cage.

“Let’s find some food for her, Harry,” Peter nodded towards some shelves further in the shop. “I’ll explain you how to take good care of her, okay?”

“Thank you, uncle Peter.”

“Wormtail,” James followed his friend through the shop. “We’re going to the shop right after.”

“I’m coming with you all, Prongs,” Peter nodded.

Lily frowned slightly.

“What shop?” she asked her husband.

“It’s a little surprise,” James answered elusively.

Once the owl’s food was bought and the little group walked out of the shop, Sirius, Remus, James and Peter guided Harry towards another store… filled with Quidditch furniture and broomsticks. Harry’s face brightened again at the sight of Quality Quidditch Supplies front door.

“Where are we going, dad?” he asked his father.

“Well, you’re going to Hogwarts so… you’re going to need a proper broomstick,” James answered, winking at his old friends by his side.

“A new broom?” Harry asked in a breath, a large grin illuminating his young features.

Sirius nodded.

“We’ve booked it. We just need to pick it up.”

“You’re going to like it,” Remus laughed.

Harry followed the four men inside, and when Sirius handed him the broom, the boy could only let his eyes grow round.

“Is that…”

“It is,” Peter nodded.

“A Nimbus 2000…”

“It is,” Remus nodded as well.

“Ron won’t believe it,” Harry grinned, taking the broom in his hands.

“You can try it together tonight when we eat at the Weasleys,” Sirius proposed.

“Yes! He’ll love it!”

Harry rushed to hug his father and his three uncles, laughing out of pure joy.

“Thank you so much!”

The four men exchanged a smile.

They were sending their boy to Hogwarts for the first time after all, it was only natural to spoil him a little.

————————————————————————–

The night was fresh for an evening of August, but the sinking sun was still warm enough for the gathering to eat in the large garden. The Burrow and its crooked silhouette towered them all, shedding a long shadow to stretch across the grass. In the house, Arthur and Marlene were chatting about affairs in the ministry while Lily and Molly were preparing dinner with the help of Sirius’s son, Rose and Poppy, the children being put in charge of the decoration of the cake. Sirius and Remus were talking with the twins and Amira and telling them stories about the pranks they had performed at Hogwarts years before, and gave the two teenagers a few advices as well. In the garden, James, Peter, Ginny, Harry and Ron were trying Harry’s new broomstick.

It was a merry gathering that filled the halls of the house with laughter. Funny stories mingled with jokes and excitement. The smell of good food filled the air, carried across the garden by the breeze and warmed by the last golden rays of the sun.

In the middle of this peaceful evening, the four Marauders gathered with both Harry and Ron for one final surprise to end the busy day.

After all, the Marauders had a legacy to give to the next generation…

“We have something for you, Harry. Or… for the two of you, actually. We know you’ll both use these two items well, and it’s always important to have a good partner in Hogwarts for… shenanigans,” James winked at the two boys.

“But first, you must give us your word that Filch will never get his hands on these items, that you will keep them secret, and reveal their existence only to your most trusted friends,” Sirius warned.

“We promise!” the two boys both exclaimed in unison.

James took out of his bag a strange-looking cloak of a mysterious hue that seemed to change with the movements of the cloth, along with an old blank parchment.

“This is my Invisibility Cloak,” James told the boys, and the eyes of the two boys became rounder and bigger as the meaning of the adult’s words hit them. “It saved the four of us many times, and not only in Hogwarts. It will be perfect to avoid trouble and danger.”

He gave the cloak to Harry and Ron, before he handed them the blank parchment as well.

“This… is our greatest creation,” Sirius told the two boys.

“Our masterpiece,” Remus nodded in agreement.

“It saved our skins countless times,” Peter added.

“And it allowed us to prepare the perfect pranks!” James agreed.

“What is it?” Ron asked with curiosity, failing at understanding the meaning behind a blank piece of parchment.

“Padfoot, will you do us the honour?” James smiled at his best friend, who agreed and rested the tip of his wand on the parchment, before speaking the magical formula.

“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.”

Lines of dark ink started to appear and spread across the parchment, tracing words and shapes under the aghast eyes of Harry and Ron.

“Wow…” Ron breathed.

“The Marauder’s Map…” Harry breathed.

“It will give you the exact position of everyone in Hogwarts. Along with a map of the Castle that you will find very useful at the beginning of your stay in the Castle,” Remus explained.

“It only appears if you speak the exact words Padfoot used,” Peter added. “You’ll have to use another sentence to hide the map again.”

“Mischief Managed,” Sirius demonstrated, tapping with his wand on the parchment again, and the ink seemed to be adsorbed by the paper until there was no trace of it left.

“Use it well. It will get you out of trouble if needed,” James went on. “Don’t let Filch get his hands on it again.”

“Again?” Harry questioned.

“Yes, he took it from us at the end of our last year. But we got it back a few years ago,” Sirius smirked.

Ron and Harry both exploded with laughter.

“That’s brilliant!” Ron grinned.

“We’re entrusting the two of you to use these well,” James warned the boys.

They both nodded.

“Thank you,” they both smiled in unison, before hugging the adults before them, making them laugh.

“Oh, and… better not tell your mothers that we gave you these,” James added before dropping a sweet peck on Harry’s head.

“Can we tell Aunt Marlene?” Harry asked, looking at Sirius.

“Of course, you can! She’s far from innocent in all that we did with these during our years at Hogwarts anyway.”

“We should tell Fred and George too! I bet they could help!”

“Oh Merlin… are you sure?” Remus laughed, imagining what could happen if the rebellious brothers managed to get their hands on the Map.

“That would be brilliant, Moony!” Sirius replied. “They have such a potential!”

“Poor Filch…”

“I can’t believe you’ve just said that! It’s Filch!” Peter replied.

“Alright… alright…”

Harry and Ron were already lost in a deep conversation, looking at the map they had summoned again, and thinking about which parts of the Castle to explore first. And at the sight of the two excited boys, the four adults exchanged a warm smile.

Their legacy was in good hands.

————————————————————–

“Are you sure that you have everything?”

“Yes, mum.”

“You’ll write to us often, okay?”

“Yes, mum!”

“Lily, leave him alone! He’s going to Hogwarts, not in Azkaban!”

“I know… I know…”

“Ron! Wait! Ginny is still with you mum!”

“We have to hurry or we’ll be late!”

“You won’t be late!”

“Anyway, in the worst case, you have an Auror with you, remember?”

“No, Sirius. You will not use your authority as an Auror to stop the train.”

“I could delay it…”

“That’s a no, Sirius. Listen to your wife.”

“Moony, who’s side are you supposed to be on again?”

“Mum! I can’t find my scarf!”

“Here, I’ve got it, Amira.”

“Where’s Fred?”

“I think we’ve lost Molly and Ginny.”

“No, no, they’re just behind Arthur.”

“Which one?”

“The old one, not ours, Marls.”

“I swear on Merlin’s beard if you roll on my foot one more time Harry Potter…”

“Sorry, Wormtail, but Ron is not walking fast enough!”

“Hey! It’s George who’s messing with my trolley!”

“Me?”

“No, I know that you’re Fred, you moron!”

“Language, young man!”

“But…”

“No 'but’, Ronald!”

“Finally! The right wall!”

“Come on Harry, let’s race!”

“No, Ron, not a good idea…”

“James, stop them!”

“I am trying, Lils!”

“Oh Merlin…”

“Careful!”

“I’ll go after them.”

“Careful, Padfoot!”

“You moron, Sirius, wait for me!”

“No time, Moony!”

“Padfoot!”

“Sirius!”

“Where is daddy running to?”

“Right into trouble.”

“Sorry, Marls…”

The second his feet hit the ground of the platform 9 ¾, Sirius felt his heart beat a little faster. Despite the years that had gone by since the last time he had stepped upon the platform, it felt like nothing had changed.

Still the crowd filled with students and their family, still the long train waiting patiently for its departure, still the loud voices and all the noise and the scent of smoke and oil…

It still felt like coming home…

He spotted easily Harry and Ron, focusing on the task at hand again, and he hurried towards the two boys.

“Hey, hey, hey! Wait for us!” Sirius admonished.

“Padfoot! Where are the others?” Ron asked.

“Still running.”

But soon the whole group had passed through the magical wall. And while the Weasleys bid their sons goodbye, Harry was hugging in turn everyone in his own large family.

“We’re going to miss you,” his young sister Rose started to cry.

“But I’ll be back for Christmas! And I’ll write very often!”

“Do you promise?” Poppy asked, hugging her elder brother as well.

“Of course!”

He then hugged Peter, Remus, Marlene and finally Sirius.

“Be careful, and get into trouble,” his godfather winked at him. “And write to us too!”

“I promise, Padfoot.”

Finally, he turned to his parents, who stood next to each other, with tears shining in their eyes that they couldn’t manage to control.

He rushed to them and they both hugged him together.

“You’ll see, you’re going to have a great time there,” James reassured his son.

“We love you very much and we’re proud of you,” Lily whispered in Harry’s ear.

“I love you too.”

They kept their embrace sealed for a few more minutes before the train would start to whistle.

“You have to go now,” James patted Harry’s shoulder.

The boy discretely dried his tears, before nodding and stepping away from his parents.

He followed Ron in the closest compartment, and as the train whistled again and starting to free its heavy fumes, he and Ron looked at their families on the platform, waving goodbye.

As the train eventually left the station, James wrapped a protective arm around his wife’s shoulders, while she sniffed and dried her cheeks.

“That was such a bad idea to have children in the first place. There should be more warnings about what will happen when they grow up,” James joked.

She nodded, but couldn’t summon the strength to talk for now as her throat was still way too tight to let any sound pass her lips.

Yes, how fast could time fly by indeed…

———————————————————————

At the sight of Minerva McGonagall’s letter, James, Lily and their friends all knew what was written on the parchment: the house in which Harry had been placed by the Sorting Hat.

The Transfiguration teacher being a dear friend of their family, she had promised to announce the news of their son’s house personally and faster than the traditional ways.

And James was overexcited…

“LETTER! LETTER!”

“We’re all in the same room, Prongs…”

“Moony, always the pragmatic one…”

“Padfoot, shut it.”

“Be careful with your language!” Lily admonished, looking at her two daughters.

James sat down in the living room with the rest of his friends, looking at Lily, and she smiled at him, nodding her head. She leaned against him to be able to read the letter as well. She noticed that James’s fingers were shaking as he tore the envelope open.

His eyes travelled across the paper for less than a second before he spotted the name of Harry’s house, and he jumped back on his feet in joy and pride, crying out loud.

“GRYFFINDOR!”

Everyone in the room cheered, and Sirius and Remus both started to laugh.

“Wormtail, pay us up!” Sirius requested.

“Pay you?” Marlene frowned.

“This moron thought that Harry wouldn’t get in Gryffindor.”

“Hey, there were other possibilities!” Peter defended himself

“With these two as parents and us all to raise him? What other possibility? Ravenclaw? Let me laugh!”

“Hufflepuff… or even Slytherin!”

“Slytherin, perhaps,” Remus nodded slowly. “But he didn’t get in Slytherin, he went in Gryffindor, so pay us our galleons!”

“So Harry is in Gryffindor?” Poppy asked.

“Yes, he is! That’s great, isn’t it?” Lily answered with excitement.

“What house did you want him to be in?”

“Oh, sweetheart, it doesn’t matter at all. We are all different, and we all fit more or less in each house. It doesn’t matter, we’ll always be very proud of you all no matter your house.”

“But it kind of runs in the family to be in Gryffindor,” Sirius whispered to James, who nodded enthusiastically.

“What else does the letter say?” Marlene asked, bringing everyone back to Earth.

Lily picked up the letter that James had dropped in his excitement, and she read the rest of Minerva’s words.

“Ron is with him in Gryffindor,” she read.

“Not surprising, he’s a Weasley!” Sirius snorted.

“And he already has an arch enemy,” she frowned.

“Who?”

“Draco… Malfoy…”

“A Malfoy,” James winced. “Not surprising.”

“James! Don’t think like that!”

“I’m just saying…”

“Remind me what your brother’s last name is again?”

Sirius narrowed his eyes at her.

“That was uncalled for,” he replied coldly.

“Sorry, but it’s true.”

“Anyway, it doesn’t matter!” Remus guided the conversation towards more peaceful topics again. “What else does it say?”

“Not much. They travelled with a Muggleborn… Hermione Granger. She went in Gryffindor too.”

“Oh Merlin, I can picture it already! The three devils…” Remus sighed.

“She’s a girl, don’t be ridiculous. She’ll bring the brain!” Marlene joked.

James took a look around at his friends and family, at the warm living room that had seen his first steps and those of his children as well. And for a short moment, for just a few seconds, the past formed before his eyes again in some kind of foggy picture. His first date with Lily, the night Sirius had run away from his parents’ house, the first Christmas with all his friends in Godric’s Hollow, his wedding, the fear, the fighting, the wounds, the blood, Harry crying for the first time, the long nights spent wondering how too keep him and Lily safe, their run into hidings, Peter’s vow, the long months spent waiting, until Voldemort was finally destroyed…

A million things could have gone wrong, and a million times he could have lost this life he cherished so much today…

… but James Potter was a very lucky man. And no matter what the past had tried, it had never managed to take him away from the people he loved. And despite all that he had been through, he was standing there today, with a happy life, he was there to see his son join his old Hogwarts House.

James Potter was a very lucky man, and he was still there…


End file.
